The present invention relates generally to one-way movement devices and more particularly to a specifically configured linear one-way movement device which is especially suitable for use in limiting the abrupt movement of an object, for example, a seat assembly, as a result of and in response to a sudden cessation in the normal forward movement of the object. This cessation of forward movement can be caused by, for example, a head-on collision between means, for example, a vehicle carrying the seat assembly, and another object, for example, another vehicle. The present invention also particularly relates to a passenger seat assembly for use in a moving vehicle, specifically a passenger seat assembly which uses the linear one-way movement device disclosed herein.
It is well know that when there is a sudden cessation in the normal forward movement of an automobile or other such passenger vehicle caused by, for example, a head-on collision between the vehicle and another object, for example, another vehicle, the seats within the vehicle and the occupants within those seats may be subjected to a rapid succession of back and forth (forward and rearward) movement, thereby possibly subjecting the occupants to whiplash. One way to reduce the effects of whiplash is to limit this abrupt movement to the initial forward movement of each seat by preventing the seat from moving again once it has initially moved forward as a result of the collision.
This idea generally is not new. However, as will be described in detail hereinafter, the present invention utilizes a unique linear one-way movement device for limiting each seat to the initial forward movement in response to a sudden cessation in the normal forward movement of the vehicle. This linear one-way movement device is modeled after a one-way drive device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,978 which is incorporated herein by reference. By incorporating many of the features of the one-way drive device disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,978, the present invention provides for a more reliable means of limiting the abrupt movement of each passenger seat as a result of and in response to a sudden cessation in the normal forward movement of the vehicle.